Starting with brand new leather

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chris11le

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Recently installed a Katzkin leather kit onto the seats for my RAM 1500. The seats have not been re-installed, they are sitting in my basement and probably will be for a while (freakin cold weather!)

While they sit there I was curious....now is probably as good a time as any to apply a product to them.

What does everyone suggest? I figure a quick wipedown with water just to make sure everything is off them (shouldnt be much, they came out of plastic and onto the seats). I haven`t verified but Im guessing they are coated, so we could fire up the great debate about "why even bother" all the way up to "Leatherique is the best".

My truck will be sitting outside 24/7 so I wanted to make sure the leather is protected from day 1.

Thanks!

-Chris
 
chris11le said:
Recently installed a Katzkin leather kit onto the seats for my RAM 1500. The seats have not been re-installed, they are sitting in my basement and probably will be for a while (freakin cold weather!)

While they sit there I was curious....now is probably as good a time as any to apply a product to them.

What does everyone suggest? I figure a quick wipedown with water just to make sure everything is off them (shouldnt be much, they came out of plastic and onto the seats). I haven`t verified but Im guessing they are coated, so we could fire up the great debate about "why even bother" all the way up to "Leatherique is the best".

My truck will be sitting outside 24/7 so I wanted to make sure the leather is protected from day 1.

Thanks!

-Chris
Click to expand...
GYEON Q2 Leather Shield

Something like that or

Optimum Protectant Plus offers complete protection for interior leather, vinyl, plastic & rubber dressing. vinyl and rubber dressing, vinyl

They are coated usually, new "leather" seats but one of these should be good to go. We use the Optimum a lot lot. The smell is soooooo good.

Good luck.

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Just a suggestion:

You may have already looked into this,
but if these were mine; and since there
is probably a Warranty involved...I’d be
sure to not overlook Katzkins’ very own
leather care recommendations:
Leather Care | Katzkin


Bob
 
FUNX650 said:
Just a suggestion:

You may have already looked into this,
but if these were mine; and since there
is probably a Warranty involved...I’d be
sure to not overlook Katzkins’ very own
leather care recommendations:
Leather Care | Katzkin


Bob
Click to expand...

A lot of the katskinz if seen seem to be real nice and supple which leads me to believe the are not coated. I hate cleaning interiors so I’d go with the coating. Guz has nice review on gyeon product. I like that the have a cure type product also (leather coat). I know it seems stupid to coat your coat but I’m game with company’s over selling me stuff. The carpros stuff gets good reviews too.


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Coatingsarecrack said:
A lot of the katskinz if seen seem to be
real nice and supple which leads me to
believe the are not coated.

I hate cleaning interiors
so I’d go with the coating.
I like that the have a cure type
product also (leather coat).

I know it seems stupid to coat your
coat but I’m game with company’s
over selling me stuff.
Click to expand...
•All of the Katzkin leathers that I’ve ever seen
have a “factory” applied protective top coat...
and are, like you mentioned, real nice and supple.

•Also:
-I’m not against Companies making money,
but I agree that it seems stupid to coat your
coat—(ie: applying a ‘Coating’ to the Katzkins’
protective top coat.)


-(Then there are also those pesky Warranty
concerns of which to be mindful.)



Bob
 
FUNX650 said:
I agree that it seems stupid to coat your
coat—(ie: applying a ‘Coating’ to the Katzkins’
protective top coat.)




Bob
Click to expand...

He doesn’t think it’s stupid to coat the top coat...

@OP. Find out if the leather is coated.
 
It’s says it right on the page that Bob linked.

c4d767a95645d188be63b465074d27b2.jpg



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Eldorado2k said:
He doesn’t think it’s stupid to coat the top coat...

@OP. Find out if the leather is coated.
Click to expand...

Redundant and possibly useless but I likes spraying things and rubbin them in. Like the argument why use a long term coating to be topped with a coating lite to be topped with a sio2 topper. Cuz I can and adding protection can’t ever hurt.


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I’m using diluted 1:1 carpro inside on my katzking leather interior with good results. I also put some gyeon leather coat (white milky stuff) every 3months or so. Holds up well. Although with almost 30k on the clock there’s some wear on the driver’s seat bolster (likely from the jeans belt). All in all really happy with Katzkin so far


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Thanks everyone!

I went ahead and ordered up some of the Gyeon Leather Shield and cleaner.

I did see the page on Katzkin's website about "just wipe it down", but I still always wonder....is whatever they used really going to hold up for 5+ years? The leather has a 3 year warranty, and even though they seem like a good company to deal with, I always question the "just wipe it off and thats it!" because after 3 years from now if the leather starts fading, cracking, etc....was it because all I did was "wipe it down"? Could I have taken better care of it that whole time?

I will reach out to Katzkin directly some time this week....if they tell me absolutely not for the leather shield, I will just use it for one my cars that came with leather from the factory (which oddly enough tell me in the manual to do more than just wipe it down...)
 
chris11le said:
I always question the "just wipe it off and thats it!" because after 3 years from now if the leather starts fading, cracking, etc....was it because all I did was "wipe it down"? Could I have taken better care of it that whole time?
Click to expand...

I think the 1st issue you’d run into is that the leather would be due for a major cleaning even after just 1yr. Let it go 3yrs. with just a water dampened microfiber and you could easily be to the point where it’s so dirty it needs a steam cleaning.

And if it’s that dirty, then you could also run into the issue where dirt that never gets fully cleaned off becomes an abrasive, which most people say is the leading cause of pre mature wear & cracking.

I think you’re doing the right thing getting a proper leather cleaner like the 1 you chose. Spray into the towel and give your leather seats a quik wipedown at least once per month or even every couple of weeks depending on how much the vehicle gets used.

On this Denali, I give the seats a quik wipedown every 10 days. Nothing crazy, just a quik wipedown/spot check and there’s always spots that benefit from that quik wipedown in order to keep it looking new. I use Meguiars D181 Leather Cleaner.

9950583167251d054bdcde3a61c9afd7.jpg


I don’t use any kind of aftermarket leather coatings on any vehicles because god forbid they change the original look & feel and nobody including myself wants that... And if they don’t change the look & feel than how the heck do you know you’ve even applied anything? Do you see what I mean?
 
chris11le said:
Thanks everyone!

I went ahead and ordered up some of the Gyeon Leather Shield and cleaner.

I did see the page on Katzkin's website about "just wipe it down", but I still always wonder....is whatever they used really going to hold up for 5+ years? The leather has a 3 year warranty, and even though they seem like a good company to deal with, I always question the "just wipe it off and thats it!" because after 3 years from now if the leather starts fading, cracking, etc....was it because all I did was "wipe it down"? Could I have taken better care of it that whole time?

I will reach out to Katzkin directly some time this week....if they tell me absolutely not for the leather shield, I will just use it for one my cars that came with leather from the factory (which oddly enough tell me in the manual to do more than just wipe it down...)
Click to expand...

Nice choice. It’s a solid product and it should be fine on the leather.

You won’t need much for maintenance. A weekly wipe down with something similar to Meguiar’s Quik Interior is all that is really needed.

The Gyeon Leather cleaner is safe for the coating as well and maybe give it a deep clean a few months down the road. You won’t find much dirt with weekly wipe downs with what I have mentioned.

You also won’t alter the look of the leather.

Enjoy and post back your feedback.
 
Hey anyone here use Connolly leather cleaner? Just bought a bottle cuz it was cheap? Reviews


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Eldorado2k said:
And if they don’t change the look & feel than how the heck do you know you’ve even applied anything? Do you see what I mean?
Click to expand...

Sad but true!

One customer had me so mad because he insisted I didn’t apply a protectant, but I used what I considered to be my best product on it (Ultima Interior Guard Plus). I even did two coats. Man I wanted kick him in the ding ding.



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chris11le said:
I did see the page on Katzkin's
website about "just wipe it down",

but I still always wonder....
is whatever they used really going to
hold up for 5+ years? The leather has
a 3 year warranty, and even though they
seem like a good company to deal with,
I always question the
"just wipe it off and thats it!"

because after 3 years from now if the
leather starts fading, cracking, etc....
was it because all I did was
"wipe it down"?
Click to expand...
You must have missed the following
Katzkins cleaning recommendation:

”Use a mild solution of Ivory bar soap
and clear, lukewarm water...”

Little more than just “wiping it down”...


Bob
 
Actually, they don't really have any instructions on *routine* maintenance.

Just "spots and spills" and "stubborn spots and spills".

I find that....interesting. Does that mean if I never drop anything on my leather, I can just leave it alone?
 
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